The invention relates to the fabrication of electrical leads, particularly to shielded electrical leads, and more particularly to fan-fold shielded electrical leads and a method for fabricating same.
Electrical leads are formed on substrates for various applications and numerous configurations, including multi-layer assemblies, have been designed and fabricated. These designs include approaches for shielding the leads from the environment, both physical and electrical as well as providing flexible substrates on which leads are formed. One of the problems associated with the design of electronic components is "cross-talk" among the components, and thus shielding has become a major concern. As the electronic technology develops, in addition to the need of electrical signal leads to be electrically shielded from the environment, including other signal leads, there in a need for such electrical leads to be non-magnetic, have very low thermal conductivity, be vacuum compatible, bakeable, compatible with cryogenic temperatures, designed for multiple signal applications, while being easy to manufacture and thus inexpensive. In addition, such signal leads must in some instances be suitable for high voltage applications. While the prior known designs and fabrication techniques have resulted in satisfactory electrical signal leads for certain of these needs, such are often expensive and/or have certain limitations for use in certain types of applications. Thus, there is a need for electrical signal leads which can satisfy the above-identified requirements, and which can also be fabricated inexpensively. The fan-fold shielded electrical leads of this invention meets all of the above-mentioned needs, and in addition permits easy connections to be made to the signal leads at any point (or multiple points) along the length of the signal leads. In addition, the shielded electrical leads of this invention are suitable for handling voltages in excess of 1000 volts.